World’s first 3D printed vertebra implanted in 12-year-old boy

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Doctors at Peking University in China have accomplished something never before seen in medicine. They have successfully replaced a section of vertebra with a 3D printed implant. Doctors say this implant should incorporate itself better with the existing bone and shorten recovery time. Don’t get too excited about all the bones you’re going to print at home–this implant is made from powdered titanium, which you can’t really feed into your MakerBot.

Titanium powder is often used in orthopedic implants, but this is the first time a 3D printer has been used to make a solid 3D object to the exact specifications of a patient. The patient in this case is a 12 year-old boy who was suffering from a malignant tumor on his upper spine. A section of the bone had to be removed to stop the cancer’s spread, but doctors opted to try this new method rather than use a traditional implant, which relies on screws and cement to stay in place.

Because the implant was designed to fit with the surrounding bones between the first and third vertebrae, it needed very little anchoring. Doctors created tiny holes in the implant, which will allow the bone to grow through the metal, eventually incorporating it into the spinal column. Once that happens, there is virtually zero chance of the implant shifting or coming loose. Regular implants can occasionally cause complications if the anchoring is insufficient to prevent migration.

The team at Peking University began their research into 3D printing orthopedic implants in 2009, and applied for human clinical trials in 2012. This is the first opportunity they’ve had to try the technique with a human patient, but previous animal studies were encouraging. Doctors hope that custom-printed implants could make orthopedic surgeries more effective and less painful for the patient. So, custom replacement bones could be coming to a body near you.